


Down by the greenhouses

by StrawberryLane



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Book 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, First Meetings, Gen, Hermione Granger-centric, Hermione is feeling lonely, Hogwarts Third Year, Homework, Ron Weasley mentioned, Short & Sweet, Sirius Black as Padfoot, Studying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-04
Updated: 2019-02-04
Packaged: 2019-10-22 07:35:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17658653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StrawberryLane/pseuds/StrawberryLane
Summary: A big, black, shaggy dog befriends Hermione in her hour of need.





	Down by the greenhouses

Ronald Weasley, sixth and also youngest son of Arthur and Molly Weasley, best friend of Harry Potter and owner of one missing rat, is a blithering idiot as far as Hermione Jean Granger, most brilliant witch her age, is concerned. To her, Ron is nothing but a complete and utter moron, one might even say.

And all because of Scabbers.

Hermione's got nothing against Scabbers, not really. She may not be as fond of rats as she is of, say, cats and dogs and owls and most other animals in the universe, but she can respect Ron's love for his pet. If only the rat didn't insist on disappearing all the time. Ron is now convinced Scabbers has died at the hands – er, paws – of Crookshanks.

Honestly, Hermione's feeling more than a little tired of trying to defend her cat. Her cat that acts like all other cats in the world. Her cat, for whom it is natural to chase mice and rats and birds and whatever other prey he might come across. There's nothing pointing to Crookshanks having it out for Scabbers specifically, like Ron suggests. Loudly, in the Common Room, where everybody present can hear their squabbling.

It's not like Ron is without fault either. Just like he tells Hermione she should leave Crookshanks in her dormitory, where he can't get to Scabbers, Hermione thinks Ron should probably have taken his own advice and left Scabbers on his own for a bit. It's not like Ron needs to bring his pet to Transfiguration every single week. And besides, it's not like Scabbers is looking like health itself these days. He's old for a rat, Hermione thinks, probably reaching the end of his life. The Rat Tonic Ron bought that fateful day in Diagon Alley doesn't seem to do much. Last she saw him. Scabbers was thinner than ever.

Thanks to Ron and Harry – who always sides with Ron, for some reason – Hermione has taken to avoiding the Gryffindor tower. And the library, because the place that was once heaven to her has turned into hell. She's got so much homework to do. So much. Worrying her lip with her teeth as she climbs down the steps towards Professor Sprout's greenhouses, Hermione wonders – not for the first time – if she may have bitten off more than she can chew. But she can't quit now. Just a couple of months to go and then she's done for the year. Just past the final exams and a couple of more twists of the time turner and she'll have reached her goal. She won't quit now, not when McGonagall went through all that trouble with the Ministry to secure the time turner for her. Not when McGonagall and her parents are so proud of her.

No, the brightest witch of her age can't possibly just give up because the workload got a little heavy at times.

Sighing as she reaches the Green houses, Hermione quickly finds a rickety set of old, iron wrought garden furniture to sit down at, making sure she's at least partly hidden from view. She's not supposed to be out here now. Sure, it's in the middle of the day – lunch, to be exact – but with a lunatic like Sirius Black on the lose, it's only reasonable that the teachers won't want the students to be running around unsupervised. Normally, Hermione would listen to her teachers and stay within the walls of the castle, or at least within view of the windows, but she needs this peace and quiet today.

She has so much homework to complete. She can't have any distractions. And because of that, studying in the library, with all its quiet noise or in the Common Room, with all its not so quiet noise, is not going to work.

*

Deep in an essay for Professor Binns on the lives of witches and wizards in the 16th century, Hermione doesn't notice the dog at first. In fact, it's almost upon her before she notices its presence. It's a bit surprising she didn't notice it earlier, she thinks, because it's huge. More like a small bear than a dog, really. Black as the night and smelly like a garbage chute too.

"Hello," she says, wondering if the dog will have anything against being petted. He is, after all, seeming quite intent on her abandoned sandwich that she brought for lunch. Hermione's not quite sure if dogs can have lettuce, but she holds it out to him anyway. She's not all that hungry, anyway.

As soon as she drops the sandwich onto the gravel beneath her feet, the dog pounces, wagging its tail. Within seconds, all but a half-chewed piece of crust is gone, like it never existed.

"That's all I've got," she tells the dog as it sits down, looking expectantly at her. It licks its lips, chasing crumbs. "Sorry."

She tries telling the dog that a few times, but he either doesn't understand or he doesn't care. Instead of leaving when no new food is produced, the dog settles down on its belly in a small ray of blessed sunshine nearby, seemingly going to sleep. It's kind of nice, in a way, Hermione decides. Crookshanks rarely provides any peace and quiet or any comfort, preferring instead to run around the castle on his own, coming back only when he wants to.

Hermione goes back to her homework. She's got Binns' essay, Snape's essay, five questions from Lupin on the nature of a Grindylow and most of her arithmancy homework done by the time the dog stirs. Lunch is long over, and the sun has disappeared behind rainy clouds. The dog yawns, a low whine escaping it as it shakes the sleep from its bones.

With one last look at her as she packs up her stuff, the dog wanders off, disappearing between a bunch of old garden tools and some blooming puffapods.

As the dog disappears and Hermione begins her walk back up to the castle, she finds she hasn't minded the company one bit.

 


End file.
